The present invention relates generally to the use of computer programs to aid in the teaching of students and to test their abilities. More particularly, the invention is directed to a system which provides the student with the basic foundation in complex subject matters and enables them to gain a proficiency in subjects such as grammar and the like.
Many types of educational software are available on the market. One of the initial and current uses for software in the educational industry is for computerized evaluation of standardized tests taken by school children using paper forms. During the test, children record their answers on a form which is collected and sent to the central agency. The answers are scanned into a computer and graded by the computer. A standard report is then generated and distributed to each student. These reports measure a student""s comparative performance against others in a defined geographic region. One such test of this type is known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). These tests provide instructors, parents, and students with an evaluative, reliable comparison as to how a student is performing versus his/her peers. However, these tests do not teach a student; they merely test the current knowledge of a student.
Another type of educational software runs on a network mainframe and terminal system for large scale simultaneous testing of groups of students at fixed locations. The software retains scores in a local database which allows an instructor to ensure that all students have achieved a certain minimum level of expertise in the subject. If an instructor determines that particular students require more help to obtain a level of competence, the instructor may tutor the students to bring them up to an acceptable level of competence in the subject. Therefore, this type of testing can be used as a tool by the instructor to ensure that all students have reached a particular level of competence before moving on to the next area of study. However, the software does not provide the instructor the means to increase the competence of the students; it merely identifies that a problem exists.
Other educational software exists for home use. Many educational programs are designed to be entertaining, with built-in tests being played as games. Games such as Where in the World is Carmen San Diego present students/players with a series of increasingly difficult tests of puzzles, wherein players must correctly solve the present round before they are allowed to continue to the next round of play. This type of software is reasonably well suited to informal isolated learning, but it lacks the comprehensive data collection features needed for formal test administration.
In light of the prior art, it would be beneficial to provide a computerized learning method which not only tests the skills of individuals and rates them accordingly, but also provides the means to teach the individual and increase his/her proficiency in a subject. This is particularly true in the area of grammar.
Various educational programs are known to teach students the fundamentals of grammar. However, while these programs may be effective, it is difficult to adapt these programs for use with the computer. One such program is entitled Business English Essentials: Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage Review. In this program, a reference manual and an accompanying workbook are utilized. A student must first study a series of xe2x80x9cPoints to Rememberxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cRules to Followxe2x80x9d pertaining to English grammar, usage, or mechanics found in the reference manual and then he/she must complete the appropriate exercises in the workbook. All exercises are completed by utilizing paper and pencil. Consequently, the student is not provided with automatic feedback. The ultimate learning objective of these exercises is for the student to learn to identify how each word and each group of words functions in all types of sentences reviewed. Each exercise consists of 25 sentences. Using a defined coding system, the student learns how each word and each group of words functions in a sentence. As the student progresses through the lessons, each new lesson introduces new functions for words or groups of words. This progression continues until all of the functions of words and groups of words found in a sentence are learned. While this conventional method of learning has proven beneficial, it does not guarantee that the student will have mastered all of the word-function concepts for words and groups of words. A student may progress in his/her lessons without realizing that a problem in his/her understanding of a particular concept exists. Problems may not be detected until the student completes a review exercise graded by the instructor. As these review exercises are not performed after each lesson and as it is difficult to analyze a student""s answers, the feedback from these review exercises is less than ideal. If a student has performed poorly, there is no simple method to determine which concepts a student does not clearly understand or how best to tutor the student. This can be frustrating to the student, as no focused instruction can be provided due to the inability not to be able to properly analyze data.
This type of problem is particularly evident in the teaching of English grammar as well as other subjects that do not lend themselves to being adaptive for use with computers, since computers are numerically based. Consequently, it would be beneficial if a system could be developed to allow these types of subjects to be made adaptive for use with computers and computer programs.
The invention is directed to a computer program for educational testing. The program is comprised of one or more lessons to test a student""s skills relative to a particular subject. In order to accomplish this, a database is provided in which non-numeric information is stored. The information is coded using numeric coding, such that the numeric coding is configured to allow a computer to search the non-numeric information. A guide for identifying the appropriate numeric code for each respective lesson is provided whereby as a student progresses through the lessons, the computer searches the database to provide the appropriate information to the student based upon the numeric code of the information and the guide for the respective lesson.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a method of coding answers to a test given with the use of a computer program. Answers given by a student are compared to the correct answers located in a computer database. The program visually indicates correct answers in a first color and incorrect answers in a second color, whereby the color coding of the answers provides an easily detectable and effective means for the student and an instructor to recognize any problems the user may be having in determining the correct answers.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a method of coding sentences for use in an educational computer program to teach grammar. In this method, a numeric code is created for each word function that can be used in a sentence. A respective sentence is reviewed to determine how each word functions in the structure of the sentence. Once reviewed, an appropriate numeric code is assigned to each respective word function used in the sentence, with the numeric code being entered into a database. The numeric code can be read and searched by the computer to allow the computer to recall appropriate sentences for each lesson in the education computer program.
The invention is also directed to a method of teaching grammar using a computer program. Appropriate sentences are generated for each lesson from a database of sentences. A student is asked to identify the word function of respective words provided in a respective sentence. The student""s answers are compared to the correct answers located in the computer database. The computer indicates correct answers in a first manner and incorrect answers in a second manner, thereby allowing the student to review the results and modify the incorrect answers. The modified answers will be compared to the correct answers and the correct modified answers will be indicated in a third manner.